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How to use Desklighter
- Launch the Desklighter by double clicking the Desklighter.exe file.
- Select the Silverlight xap file as input.
- Change the output file name and location if required.
- Click the 'Convert' button to generate the exe file at specified output path.
Features
Double click the executable created using Desklighter to launch it. Similar to a standard windows application it displays the Silverlight content inside a new window. An example is shown below.
It is possible to customize the application window by specifying more properties in the Settings panel. The settings available are Height and Width to control default application window size, border type (Re-sizable, fixed, none), application icon, background color, and window title. If the Silverlight application is expecting init params, that can be supplied as well.
For example, by setting the Background as 'Transparent' and choosing the 'No Border' option, it is possible to create a custom shaped Silverlight standalone application.
FAQ
- Why do I need Desklighter?
The idea of taking the Silverlight application off the web into a portable single file executable opens up a whole new playing field. You can share your Silverlight applications without having to worry about the hosting infrastructure. With Desklighter you can carry your favorite Silverlight content from the web and share with colleagues who are not connected to internet. Distribute your Silverlight content on USB flash drives or in CDs where ever and to whomever you want. The possibilities are endless.
- But I can create a WPF application to target desktops?
True. If you are creating a new application targeting desktops, then WPF is the way to go. But if you have an existing Silverlight application that you want to share offline, then the Desklighter comes handy.
- How is this different from an html file with Silverlight content embedded?
Having an html file with an embedded Silverlight control is another way to take your Silverlight applications offline. But it requires two loose files (html and xap) and a browser to launch it. Desklight holds everything in a single exe file, which is more convenient and portable.
- If the Silverlight application is accessing some external data, will it work in a Desklight?
If the data is available from the computer that is running the Desklight executable, it will work fine. For example, if a game is displaying high scores list retrieved from the internet, the Desklight will display the same data if the computer is connected to internet (Figure 1). If data is not accessible, it will throw an error (Figure 2).
 
Desklights are best suited for self containing Silverlight applications where all the dependent resources are available within the xap file. Examples include games, presentations, electronic brochures, tools and utilities.
- What are the system requirements for a Desklight to run?
A Windows computer with .NET Framework 2.0 and Silverlight plug-in.
- How is this different from Silverlight Out-of-Browser(OOB) feature?
OOB helps in storing a hosted Silverlight application onto your desktop for running it from outside the browser. It does not help you in making it portable. The application created by OOB will work only on the systems where they were installed. Desklighter can create truly portable exes that can be distributed in any media.
Customization of OOB application window is limited to its size, title, and icon, etc. Desklighter supports all this, plus border type (re-sizable, fixed, none), background color (transparency is also supported), and init parameters.
If you have more questions, suggestions, feature requests or bug reports, please post them in our Support Forum. Read Desklighter Story to know the technical details behind this tool.
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